After the interruption in 2000, today, June 5th, we have the fourth election in our country without coups, revolutions or military.
In the twentieth century we went through several types of governments, meaning military administrations, and with a single political party, which was born in secrecy, with much violence, and which gradually became a formal, peaceful and progressive political organization of the people the APRA (Partido Aprista Peruano).
But the twentieth century ended with the collapse of the people's party (APRA). A collapse to the extent that its leaders were prosecuted for corruption in judicial proceedings, and even accused of being linked to drug trafficking.
In that periode of time Latin America was mostly characterized by revolutionary political organizations, aspiring socialist and radical left models, but Latin Anerica ended up with the contamination: the extreme corruption.
Paralyzed by terrorism
When we ended the twentieth century Peru was paralyzed by terrorism of the "Shining Path" (Sendero Luminoso), the radical, violent and murderous ideology that not only the economy deteriorated, peace and public security, but also destroyed the existing ideologies in that era.
The twentyfirst century is born with ideologies in crisis, broken by the failure of revolutions, dreams of a different society, fair, equitable and environmentally solutions. The corruption in the labor unions, corruption in government officials and civil society, destroy the hope.
Pessimism and despair had frozen us, creating a vacuum that prevents us from believing that there is an honest political class, for example the minimum possibility of coming to live in a equal society.
The elections this year, this June 5th, bring us two choices of pragmatic neoliberal ideology.
On one hand we have Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, close to 80 years, and man of prestige in Wall Street, known as finance minister and official in Peru of entities linked to mining investments, gas, iron, banking and business in general.
On the other hand we have Keiko Fujimori, daughter of the former – President Alberto Fujimori, who six years ago organised a new party called People's Force (Fuerza Popular), with significant presence in all corners of the country, which is characterized by personally visiting each town, collect their demands and work closely with women leaders of each community.
Frozen ideology
The Peruvian left, is in a divided position among social democrats, socialists, communists and pro-terrorist. Its ideologically was frozen in the twentieth century. A left that does not propose schizophrenic but is opposed to the candidacy of Keiko Fujimori, who represents the government of her father who defeated terrorism, but with serious flaws for violating human rights.
The Left wing has in the first 16 years of this century only added the issue of environmental protection to its ideological recipe without further theoretical structure and without further professional training.
Today Peru only have one young young party led by a woman, who can become the elected president today, and could bring heavy unimaginable changes in favor of national reconciliation, after the defeat of Shining Path and the left in the early 90's.
This party, aims to make major changes in education, income distribution, and correct the phenomenon of insecurity that generates instability in homes around the country.
If Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is to win, who has no political party – and was organized only for this elections – Peru will continue with a development scheme, progressive, extraction of natural resources and its welfare approach with for example free scholarships for the poorest.
However, Pedro do not have a majority in the parlament, only 20 congressmen, which means he is obliged to work and negotiate with Keiko Fujimori who has the majority (73 congressmen).
Left needs to renew its ideology
Changes need to come and the Left need to get organized, join, and renew its ideology with their own ideas and not import it from other realities.
A single political party will not be enough to create wealth in ideas and ideologies that are required to build a future of peace and prosperity. It needs other powers, the other side, to balance, compensate and balance interests and visions.
Artiklen er skrevet af Juan Manuel de la Piedra Fernández, menneskerettighedsadvokat i Peru, og redigeret af Maria Tauber Wiese, fra oprindelige folk programmet i Amazonas (FORMABIAP). Den er stillet til rådighed for Globalnyt af forfatterne.
